Apparatus for detecting and indicating gases in the atmosphere.



T. GROESBEUK.

APPARATUS FOR DE'IBU'ITNG AND INDICATING GASES IN THE ATMOSPHERE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19 190B.

943,0 1 5. Patented Dec. 14. 1909.

TELFORD GBOESBECK, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

APPARATUS FOR DETECTING AND INDICATING GASES IN THE ATMOSPHERE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 14, 1909.

Application filed May 19, 1906. Serial No. 317,816.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Tnnrono Gnonsnnon, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus forDetecting and Indicating Gases in the Atmosphere, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to improved apparatus for indicating the presenceof ob ectionable gases in the atmosphere of mines, cellars, buildings,and other similar places.

One of its objects is to provide reliable and sensitive apparatus fordetecting and indicating the presence of illuminating, explosive or lifedestroying gases in places where such gases are liable to escape oraccumulate in time to prevent injury therefrom.

Another object is to provide means for protecting said apparatus fromdust or othenforeign matter liable to afiect its operation.

It further consists in certain details of form, combination andarrangement, all of which will be more fully set forth in thedescription of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved apparatus with the casing insection. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of one form of contact by means ofwhich an alarm may be sounded. Fig. 3 is a detail view of another formof contact by means of which the alarm may be sounded. Fig. 4 is amodification of the body, D, in side elevation.

In the accompanying drawings, A, represents a balanced scale beamsuspended by means of a knife edge, a, on the upper end of an upright orcolumn, B. From one end of the beam, A, is suspended at body, C, whichpreferably consists of a hollow shell of glass from the interior ofwhich the atmosphere has been exhausted and the shell sealed to maintaina vacuum therein. This shell may have, however, air or other gasessealed therein. A knife edge, 6, serves to support the shell, 0, uponthe end of the beam. At the opposite end of the beam,A, is supported abody, D, which preferably consists of a plate of glass of practicallythe same weight as the shell, 0, and exposing to the atmoshereapproximatel the same exterior surface as the shell, so that the de ositof moisture, if'any, upon the two bo ies will be approximately equal inweight. A hollow shell, D, of glass similar in shape, size and weight tobody, C, except that it. is provided with one or more openings, (1 forthe access of air or gases to and from the interior thereof, may beemployed in place of body, D. Nuts, 03, cl, 0, c, serve as adjustableweights threaded on the rods, 0, of the scale beam, and by means ofwhich an accu rate adjustment and balance of the scale beam may beattained.

F represents a tube or sleeve mounted on the column, B, and adapted tobe adjusted vertically thereon by means of eccentric G mounted on thepivoted rod, g, said eccentrie engaging a foot 11, on the tube, F, toelevate the same when the rod, 9, is turned.

I represents arms projecting from the upper end of tube, F, which whenthe tube is elevated serve to lift the scale beam from its position onthe top of column, B, thereby preventing unnecessary wear on the partswhen the apparatus is not in use.

E, represents the base on which the operative parts and protectivecasing are mounted, and, c, a compartment preferably provided in whichare located the switches and binding screws necessary to electricallyconnect the apparatus with the alarm mechanism.

K represents a. permanent casing or framework and 71;, detachable frameswhich are provided with panels, 70', of cotton or other textile materialadapted to permit a free circulation of air or gases within or throughthe casing, and at the same time adapted to intercept dust. and otherforeign materials or objects liable to affect the action of theapparatus. These textile panels are also preferably reinforced by meansof metal screens, 76

L, L, represent electrical batteries, or other source of electricity b imeans of which the alarms may be actuate or sounded.

M, M, represent alarm mechanisms, and which are preferably bells ofdifferent pitch, or are otherwise distinguishable one from the other bytheir action when sounded.

These alarms may be located close to the inl dicating apparatus, or at adistance as desired, and are adapted to be employed either singly orconjointly, as desired.

As shown in Fig. 1 electrical contact to sound alarm, M, is made bymeans of a pair of contact points, m, m, which are carried by body, D,being attached thereto by means of a wire mesh m The respective points,in, m, dip when body, 1), descends into separate cups, n, n, which cupspreferably contain mercury or other lluid conductor. The cups, in, m,are of insulating material and are carried upon a stem, 0, which isthreaded into the base, E, to enable the cups to be adjusted to theproper height, where they may be locked by means of nuts, I I The body,U, carries two contacts, p, attached to body, 0, by wire mesh, 7) whichcontacts as body, (J, descends contact with the liquid contents of cups,9. Cups, g, g, are carried upon a stem, t), threaded in the base andprovided with a nut, l", to lock the cups, to the adjusted position. Thecups, a, are annular in form and encircle the cups, 7:, g. Wires, 2, 3,connect the cups, a, a, with the battery, L, and alarm, M, said circuitbeing controlled by a switch, 4. W'ires, 5, 6, lead from cups, q, g, tothe circuit of battery, L, and alarm, M, which circuit is controlled byswitch, 7. A pointer 8, carried by the beam A indicates on a scale, 9,when the beam is in equilibrium and also the direction and amount ofdeflection therefrom.

In the modification Fig. 3 contacts 10, 11, are carried by the scalebeams, A, and the deflection thereof causes one or other of saidcontacts to touch a carbon button, 12 or 13, thereby establishingcontact through one or other of the alarms M, M. Said buttons 12 and 13are adjustable as to height in the same manner as the mercury cups. Theadjustment of the stationary contacts in height, as shown in eitherFigs. 1 or 3, enables the instrument to be set so as to sound the alarmor to indicate the presence of greater or less quantities of foreign gasin the atmosphere.

The operation is as follows: The case containing the scale beam islocated upon a firm support in the mine or other place and the alarmslocated in the neighborhood thereof, or at a distance therefrom, asdesired. The weights, 6!, d, c, c, are adjusted to bring the beam toequilibrium, and the cups, a, a, p, p, adjusted to the desired height,and either one or both the switches, a, 7, closed. The atmosphere of themine circulates freely through the panels of the casing, and thepresence there at any time of a gas lighter than the normal atmospherewill affect the relative weight of the bodies, C, D, causing body, C, todescend and close the circuit by means of the contacts, p, p dipping inthe mercury of cups, 9, 9, thereby sounding alarm, M. Should a gasheavier than the normal atmosphere be present, it will disturb the euilibrium and cause the body, D, to descen thereby sounding the alarm,M. The external surface of the bodies, (J, D, being substantially thesame, and their coefficient of absorption of moisture being the same,they will not be affected by the deposit of moisture thereon.

The mechanism herein shown and described is capable of considerablemodification without departing from the principle of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In an article of the character indicated, a body forming a sealedchamber suspended in equilibrium and adapted to be influenced by thespecific gravity of its surrounding atmosphere, an alarm, an electriccircuit adapted to actuate said alarm, a vertically adjustable standardcarrying two cups, one

located centrally beneath said body, and one encircling said first namedcup, fluid conductors of electricity carried by said cups and formingthe terminals of said circuit, and a contact carried by said body havingone arm adapted to contact with the fluid in said central cup andanother arm to contact with the fluid of said encircling cup to closesaid circuit and sound the alarm.

2. In a device of the type set forth, a balanced beam, a body forming anair-tight sealed chamber suspended from one end of said beam, a secondbody at the opposite end of said beam, a pair of spaced dependingcontacts carried by each body, and an adjustable cup for each body, eachcup containing two chambers each chamber having a fluid conductor ofelectricity therein, said cups being rotatable and having their chambersso arranged that they will underlie said contact points of the bodies inany position to which the cup may be turned.

3. In a device of the type set forth, a balanced beam, a body forming anairtight sealed chamber suspended from one end of said beam, a secondbody at the opposite end of said beam, a pair of contacts carried byeach of said bodies, a cup for each body, each cup containing twoconcentric chambers ar ranged one within the other with a fluidconductor of electricity in each chamber, a signal and a battery foreach cup, and wires in circuit with said signal and battery, one of saidwires extending in one chamber and the other in the other chamber ofsaid cup.

41. In a device of the type set forth, a balanced beam, a body formingan air-tight sealed chamber suspended from one end of said beam, ahollow shell on the other end of said beam having an opening thereinwhereby its interior communicates with the atmosphere, and alarmsadapted for sounding by said body and shell.

5. In a device of the type set forth, a balanced beam, glass bodies onthe beam ends, wire mesh secured to said bodies, spaced contact pointsdepending from said wire mesh, an alarm for each body, and means tosound the alarm through said contacts.

6. In a device of the type set forth, a balanced beam, counterbalancingbodies at opposite ends of said beam, one of said bodies forming asealed chamber, and the other not forming a sealed chamber, said bodieshaving the same area exposed to the deposit of moisture or dust, anelectrical circuit having contacts adapted to be opened and closed bythe movements of said bodies, and an electrical alarm adapted to besounded when said circuit is closed.

7. In a device of the type set forth, a balanced beam, an upright forsupporting said beam. from its upper end, a vertically movable element,arn'is at the upper end of said upright to engage said beam, a footprojecting outwardly from said element, and rotatable means to engagesaid foot and raise said element.

8. In a mechanism of the character indicated, a body forming a sealedchamber,

said body being suspended in equilibrium in the atmosphere to be tested,and adapted to be atleeted by changes in the specific gravity of saidatmosphere, :1 member supporting said sealed chamber, an alarm, anelectric circuit adapted to actuate said alarm, an electrical contactactuated by the movements of said chambered body to close said circuit,and a housing incasing said chambered body and its supporting mechanism,said. housing having a plurality of porous walls permitting acirculation of the atn'losphere to and from said chambered body, butprotecting it against the admission of air drafts and dust or otherforeign bodies.

In testimony whereof I have atlixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

TELFORD GROESBECK. Witnesses E. WV. MURPHEY, M. N. HOLLOWELL.

